Olympian Imane Khelif is sharing an important message amid the boxing controversy at the 2024 Paris Games.
On Sunday, Aug. 4, the 25-year-old Algerian boxer called for people to refrain from “bullying” athletes during an interview with SNTV, a sports video partner of the Associated Press.
“I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” Khelif told the outlet in Arabic, translated by the AP.
“It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit, and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying,” she continued.
Khelif’s eligibility to compete at the Olympics has come under scrutiny after she was disqualified from the 2023 boxing world championships due to failing an unspecified gender eligibility test by the International Boxing Association, according to a separate report from the Associated Press.
Discussing how she has coped with the controversy while being away from home and her loved ones, Khelif added, “I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply. They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response,” she said, expressing her gratitude for the Olympic Committee for doing her “justice.”
Regarding the online discussion, Khelif said, “Honestly, I don’t follow social media. There is a mental health team that doesn’t let us follow social media, especially in the Olympic Games, whether me or other athletes. I’m here to compete and get a good result.”
On Saturday, Aug. 3, Khelif became emotional after defeating Hungarian Luca Anna Hamori at the Games, as reported by the BBC. “I feel good,” she told the outlet. “It’s the first medal in women’s boxing in Algeria – I’m very happy. I want to thank all the world and the Arabic world – thank you so much,” she added.
Khelif’s victory followed an incident on Thursday, Aug. 1, that sparked discussions about female athletes. Italian boxer Angela Carini bowed out of her match against Khelif after 46 seconds, bursting into tears and falling to her knees. Carini later apologized for failing to shake Khelif’s hand after the match.
“All this controversy certainly made me sad, and I also felt sorry for my opponent; she had nothing to do with it and, like me, was only here to fight,” Carini told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Clarifying her actions, Carini stated, “It was not intentional, in fact, I apologize to her and to everyone. I was angry because my Games had already gone up in smoke. I have nothing against Khelif and on the contrary, if I happened to meet her again, I would give her a hug,” she continued.
Khelif’s call for empathy and respect highlights the broader issues athletes face beyond their physical performances, reminding the public of the human side of sports.
